Observer News: Adopt a Camper helps keep kids safe
Adopt a Camper helps keep kids safe
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Penny_Fletcher on 09/03/2011 14:46:00
By PENNY FLETCHER
SOUTH COUNTY — When county budget cuts started hitting the parks department
three years ago children’s programs were the first thing affected.
That’s because they were the most expensive to operate, and the money just
wasn’t there, Mark Thornton, director of the Parks, Recreation and
Conservation Department explained in a story in The Observer News and Riverview
Current when the cuts began to hurt South County residents.
After-school programs that had once cost $20 per week went to $48, and summer
camp fees went from around $150 (plus extra field trip and activity costs) to
nearly $500. Many children could no longer participate and staff layoffs loomed.
The worst part was that now, with parents working, many children from low-income
families were home alone for long periods of time after school, and whole days
when school was out.
In April 2009, Mary Clements-Fowler, who works in the parks department, came up
with an idea and after researching other summer camp programs she presented it
to the department heads. They agreed, and May 7, 2009, the first donor checks
were written for the Adopt a Camper Program.
But the program didn’t bring back the kids in the poorest areas because it
lacked funding.
“In years past there has been a waiting list at most recreation centers to get
into our after-school recreation program and summer camps. Today, to the best of
my knowledge, the only site that currently has a waiting list is the Westchase
Recreation Center in Tampa,”said Kemly Green, a county spokeswoman.
In fact, calls and visits to all of South County’s six recreation centers show
they now all have openings for both after-schoolers and summer campers. Last
week when I called Balm Park, only four children were in attendance after
school.
So how can the parks make the Adopt a Camper Program work?
Jack Reeder, director of Apollo Beach’s Recreation Center, got some ideas.
The staff and kids there began to hold fundraisers and in less than one season,
came up with $1,800.
“We got the (Apollo Beach) Woman’s Club involved, and they donated $1,500 of
it,” Reeder said. “The Civic Association gave $150 and then we held a Flea
Market and charged $5 a table.” Other events are now in the planning.
Apollo Beach was onto something. The problem was that some areas of South County
didn’t have the donors available in Apollo Beach.
People would support events if they could see the need, and if there was some
way they could donate when they couldn’t participate in an event.
Sandra Holmes, director at Riverview’s park grabbed hold of the idea and March
19 that park is having a community yard sale from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the park,
7807 Capitano Street (off Riverview Drive, just east of U.S. 301). Sellers may
rent a space for $20 or $25 depending on the location of their tables and all
proceeds and donations go directly toward helping children attend the programs
whose parents cannot afford to register them.
For more information on this before the event, contact Holmes or Martha Martinez
at (813) 671-7617.
Businesses, civic organizations, religious groups and individuals can also help
by donating cash- checks or money orders- to the Adopt a Camper fund at their
nearest park.
“All our centers are in need of assistance to help children that need a safe
place to go while their parents work during the day where they know that they
will participate in activities such as sport leagues, boys clubs, girls clubs,
computer lab, outdoor games, indoor games arts and crafts and more,” Green
said.
Organizations and businesses can help by sponsoring a child at a specific park
for a certain amount of time during the after-school recreation program, or they
can sponsor a child for the summer camp program. Funds can be for a designated
site.
They can also be sponsors of sport leagues which would allow area children to
play in a sports league.
Adopt a Camper is for children between the ages of 5 and 12.
More information may be obtained by visiting the Parks, Recreation and
Conservation website at www.hillsboroughcounty.org/parks. Or by contacting
Fowler at (813) 635-3519 or their local park.
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